Dual transmission control



July 20, 1943. P. SCHON 2,324,542

DUAL TRANSMISSION CONTROL Filed Sept. 14,- 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet l fig 34% 4770511 1570 INVENTbR. B Z7 8022021,

July 20, 1943. P. SCI-[ON 2,

' DUAL TRANSMISSION CONTROL I I Filed Sept. 14, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 p l/ d7 11 E 10 July 20, 1943 r 'P. SCH ON 2,324,542

DUAL TRANSMISSION CONTROL I Filed Sept. 14, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet s x 55 x Q INVENTOR. fi e??? 80km, BY.

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selective rod [2, and connecting the two levers 45 and 48 is the link 49.

In view of the fact that it is intended that at times one or the other of the engines may be idle, while at other times both may be subject to load, it is apparent that slight rotative movement of one transmission casing (due to the usual cushion mounting of the engine body on the chassis), independent of the other, might, because of the linkage 454948, result in inequality of movements of the two selector rods I2, 12 in response to movements of lever L. Such inequality is prevented, or reduced to negligible quantities by the following means:

The two engines l9 and l l are arranged on opposite sides of the central longitudinal beam 55 of the chassis frame with their main shafts arranged fore-and-aft and are supported, as

usual, on resilient footings on the chassis frame so that, if otherwise uncontrolled as to limited oscillation about longitudinal axes parallel with beam 55, independent oscillations'of the two engines might occur. Therefore, in order to snub one engine against the other,'I-provide the mechanism now to be described.

Between the bodies of'engines l and -II (or the transmission housings I0 and II) on'beam 55, I provide a vertically resilient footing, such as a rubber pad 51, upon which is mounted an upwardly extending bracket or snubbing post 58. Secured to each engine body (or transmission housing) is a'rigid'finger59 projecting toward post 58. Pivoted to the free end-of each finger 59 at 50 is a link 6| 'which, in turn, is pivoted at 62 to post 58. pivot points 69, 62, 62, 6ll'are' in alignment when the engines are at rest. By this arrangement, rotative yield of either engine'body is transmitted to the other engine body through the snubber bracket 58 and thereby the proper relation of the linkage is maintained so that oscillation of lever L about the axis of trunnions 2|, 2| equally affects the selector rods l2 under all conditions. Because of the 'snubber linkage described, vertical oscillations of one engine body are not transmitted by the other enginebody.

It is desirable, when one orthe'othe'r of the engines is not to be operated,'that the electric circuits controlling the gear-shifting mechanism of its transmission gearing, as well as thei'gnition circuit of the non-operating engine, be rendered inoperative, preferably by a single manual operation of the operator. It is desirable, also, that each engine be provided with a storage battery and that, in case of failure of either battery, the other be available as a substitute. To those ends, I provide the switches and circuits now to be described.

The master switch M comprises a shaft carrying disks ll, 72, 13, 14, and 16 which carry contact points appropriately spaced circumferentially, as will appear from "thefurther description, and arranged to be contacted by these contact points are terminals 1|, ll", 12, 12", 13', 13", 14, l4", 15', 15', and l6, 16''. Batteries 1'! and 18 are provided, respectively, for the left and right engines, with one terminal of each appropriately grounded and the ODDOsite terminals connected by wires I9: and 80 with-a battery selector 8| by means of which either battery may be utilized to supply current to bus bar 86 or the circuits controlled by par-ts'l l3 and. Leading'from--battery'-seleetor-8l is "a wire- 82 which leads'to bus bar 86, from which Preferably the four 'erator, etc. ofthe left engine.

leads are carried by various instrumentalities which are to be available, such, for instance, as windshield wiper, horn, heater, lights, defroster, radio, etc. Also leading from bus bar 86, is a wire 83 which leads through safety key lock 84 and automatic clutch switch 85 to terminals ll, 12', 13'', 14'. A wire 81 leads from battery 18 to terminal 15', and a wire :88 leads from the battery 11 to terminal 16". .Wire 89 leads from terminal 16' to a bus bar 90 from which various leads lead to the ignition, starter, ammeter, temperature gauge, oil gauge, fuel gauge, accel- Similarly, a wire 9| leads "from terminal 15' to a bus bar 92 for the right'engine and corresponding to bus bar 90. Wire 93 leads to a terminal 94 which is coordinated with terminals 95, 96 and 91 to coact with a switch element 98 (Fig. 5) carried by shaft 24 by means of which terminal 94 may be connected, respectively, with the terminals 95, 96 and 91, which'terminals are, respectively, connected by wires 95, 96 and 91 which lead to appropriate terminals of the electrica1 gear shift control means 99 in a well known manner, said means-being grounded as indicated.

Similarly, the Wire Hill leads from terminal 13 =to terminal 940 which is coordinated with terminals 950, 969 and 910, the latter. terminals, 950, 969 and 910, being connected'by wires 950, 960 and 910' with appropriate portions of the gear shift mechanism 99 for the right handengine. Terminal 91 is'connected'by'wire'l(with terminal 13 and terminal 910 "is connected by wire I92 with terminal I I As previously stated, the disks H to 12, inclusive, are provided with circumferentially spaced contact'points by which rotation of shaft 10 may be arranged, inor out of position to connect the opposed stationary terminals, so that in the 'zero position of the switch the neutral control for the right and left transmissions respectively, through the 'medium cuits for the left hand engine only, for the right hand engine only, and for both'engines, so that the operator by manipulating this single switch may readily utilize either or both enginesfor propelling the vehicle.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a motor vehicle comprising, a chassis frame, two engines supported thereon and oscillable'about parallel axes, and'two speed-varying transmissions, one associated with each engine to partake of its said oscillations and each including a reciprocatory selector rod,'two levers, one pivoted on each'transmission, and engaging the adjacent selector rod, a 'connectionbetween said levers, a manually-operated mastercohtrol lever a connection between said Contr'ollever and one of said first-mentioned 1evers,-.an'd.snubbing means connecting the two transmissions whereby lateral oscillations of onewill be trans mitted to the other. 7

"2. 'In a motor vehicle comprising, a. chassis frame, two engines supported thereon-and oscillable about parallel axes, and two-'speed-varying transmissions, one associated with each 'engine to-partake of its-said oscillations and each/including a reciprocatory; selector rod,-two;-lev ers, one pivoted'pn' each :transmission and-engaging lever, 'axconnection :between :;said:: control riever and one of said first-mentioned levers, a snubbing post yieldably mounted on the chassis frame, and two oppositely extending links each pivoted to said post and to one of said engines, the axes of the pivotal connections being parallel with the engine axes.

3. A control element for motor vehicles comprising, a main support, an axially perforated disk provided with diametrically opposed trunnions journalled in said support, diametrically opposed arcuate shoes slidably mounted upon the periphery of said disk and connected by a bar extending across the face of said disk and provided with a perforation having two spaced and facing contact faces, a shaft projected through the disk and said bar between said contact faces and provided with a pair of diametrically opposed parallel ridges contacting said contact faces whereby shifting of thedisk about the axis of its trunnions will, nevertheless, permit shifting of the shoes circumferentially upon the disk and corresponding rotation of the ridge-carrying shaft.

PIERRE SCHON. 

